Nail setter



Patented Nov. 6, 1928. I

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD F. MALOUF, or MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

NAIL SETTER.

Application filed February 12, 1927. I serialnaiszm.

makers, cobblers, shinglers, carpet and linoleum layers, orothers, who are required to set a quantity of nails or tacks of the same kind.

The main object of the invention is to pro- Vide a nail setter, which is adapted to receive a number of nails therein and to be moved to a nail-setting position and held and manipulated by one hand of an operator so as to cause the nails to be conveyed one at a time to the'setting position, while the operators other hand is free to set the nails with a hammer. The invention thus substitutes a safe method of nail-setting for the prevailing practice among workmen to take a number of nails in. the mouth, a practice,

often resulting in injury to the teeth of the workman and causing the workman to-swallow some of the nails so that his health is thereby jeopardized. y

Another important feature of the inven tion is to provide means for yieldingly holding a nail in the nail setter in order that, when the nail is placed inthe setting position on an object, the operator may be able by con tact-ing the point of the nail with the surface of the object to slide the nail so that the head thereof is pushed out of contact with the nail setter and therefore the nail can be hit with a hammer without liability to injury of the nail setter. 4

A further object is to provide a nail setter with means for yieldingly retaining the nails therein, so that, when the nails are released from the means fol-holding them in the posito the latter.

A still further object is to provide a nail setter with means for adjusting it so as to imcommodate nails or tacks of different thickness. r

Another feature of the invention is torproride a nail setter with a guidemember adapted to engage the edge of an object so that the nail setter may be moved along the edge 7 for setting nails at predetermined spots on the objec. 1

Still further objects and features will appear from the following detailed description, having reference to the accompanying draw-- the operating parts in the positions tion for setting, they may also be easily freed from the nail setter-without causing-inpi'ry ings, in whicha preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and in which:

Figure 1 isa side elevation of the nail setter, with theoperatingpart-s thereof in their normal positions, 'the nail receptacle being shown with a cover therefor; .7 Figure 2 1s a plan of the nail setter, with shown 1n Figure 1, and with the guide member in engagement'with the edge of a shoe sole,

which is indicated'by a dot and-dash line,

while the predetern'iined spots, at which the nails in the nail setter may be set, are indicated by a dot-ted line, being broken in order to'show underlying parts;

Figure 3 is a plan of thena-il setter, with, aportionof thenail conveyor'in section in order to show clearly the bars that operate so as to allow only one nail at a time to pass through the conveyor, the bar nearest to the, nail receptacle having been moved by the sliding movement of'th-e receptacle so that it retains the nails in the conveyor, while the other bar at the same time has beenmoved so as to allowone nail to pass to the free end of the conveyer, where it is held bythe nail-. holding member, preparatory to the setting of the nail; 1 1 Figure 4 is aside elevation of the nail receptacle and a portion. of the nail conveyer, and the means for spacing the conveyer members from each other, and also the supporting plate for the receptacle and the conveyor, the supporting platebeing brokenaway inthe middle, and the conveyor member nearest the receptacle cover to-thersupporting plate being partly in section inv order to show clearly the connection of the receptacle walls with the respective conveyermembers;, V

Figure 5 is a'sectional elevation taken along the line5 5 in Figure 2, the handle i l of my inventionis indicated bythe numeral 1 1. This nail setter comprises a frame 2. which includes a handle 3j-fixed to one end ofthe frame by any suitable means. At the other end of the frame is a guide member 4,

which preferably provided with a stem 5 adapted to be threaded into the frame so as to be adjustably secured thereto. arrangement an operator may take hold of the handle and, after placing the frame upon an object so that the guide member contacts one edge of the object, may thereby move the nail setter along the edge, whichin Figure'2 is indicated by a dot-and-dash line as being he edge of a shoe sole, forsetting nails at predeterminedspots on'thesole, as indicated by a dotted line in the same figure;

The handle 3 is preferably hollow and has adjustablysecured therein the shank of a mounting member 6 by, screws 7, and to the head of this mounting member is fixed a bar 8, which extends with its major portion in the general direction of the frame 2. Upon the mounting member 6 are also fixed guide plates 9 and 10, each of which is provided with an opening 11 for slidably receiving an operating rod 12 therein, and other plates 13 and 14 are respectively attached to the guide plates 9 and 10 for retaining the rod 12 in the opening 11 of the guide plates. A compression spring 15 is coiled around the operating rod outside of the plate 10, and the rod is at this end provided with a push plate or button 16 for moving the rod against the tension of the spring, a pin 17 being preferably provided for engaging one end of the spring while the other end thereof contacts the plate; I

The nail setter 1 further comprises a nail receptacle 18consisting of wall portions 19 and 20 and having the portion 19 provided with end wall additions 21, which converge toward the bottomof the receptacle, and the side portions of the receptacle are preferably correspondingly inclined toward the bottom of the receptacle. A nail conveyer 22 consisting of a pair of suitably formed members 3 and 24 adapted to extend alongside of, and to bespaced from each other, has the members 23 and 24 respectively connected with the wall portions19 and 20 of the nail receptacle. This connection between the nail receptacle and the nail conveyer may be made in any suitable manner and preferably sothat the receptacle removable from the nail conveyer whenever it is so desired. As a means of accomplishing this result, I may provide each of the wall portions 19 and 20 with dowels 25, which fit in registering holes in the respective conveyer members, as shown in Figure 4. r

For adjustably attaching the conveyer members-23 and 24 to each other, blocks 26,

arranged in pairs, may be secured to the mem bers by any suitable means, such as screws 27, and a plate 28, having slots29 therein, is provided so that the nail receptacle 18 and the nailconveyer 22 may thereby be mounted on theplate'with a 'certaindegree of adj usta- By this bility and firmly secured to the plate by the respective screws 27 in thelconveyer member 24. In ea h pair of blocks 26 one of the blocks preferably has a dowel 3O fixed therein, while the other block has a corresponding hole for slidably fitting the block on the dowel. Also,

'.a screw 31 is shown as being threaded through one block in each pair, while theother block in the pair is drilled for clearance of the screw, and around the screw and between the two blocks in each pair is placed an expansion coil spring 32. Thus, by the turning of the screws 31and by the co-operating action of the springs 32, the conveyer members 23 and 24 are adapted to hold'a row of nails therebetween, and they may be spaced from each other so to accommodate there-between nails of different thickness. It should also be observed that the wall portions 19 and 20 of the nail receptacle, by their'attachment to the respective conveyer members, are adjustable therewith and adapted to form a longitudinal opening at the bottom of the nail receptacle in registration with the space between the conveyer members in order to accommodate the heads of the nails held in the nail conveyer.

Each of the conveyer members 23 and 24 is preferably curved, as viewed laterally and as shown in Figure 1, and a plate 33, extending over the conveyer members and corresponding in curvature with them, is secured to one of the members so as to be spaced from them sufiiciently for allowing a free sliding of the nail heads between the plate and the conveyer members, while at the same time the plate prevents an upward discharge of the nails from the nail conveyer. To the plate 28 is secured an angle bracket 34, at one of its wings, and at its other wing the bracket is secured to the operating rod 12. The bracket thus supports the nail receptacle 18 and the nail conveyer 22 in inclined 1,)ositions,,so that nails or tacks 35, dropped into the receptacle and held between the conveyer members, as shown in Figure 3, may be moved by gravity toward the nail conveyers free end, which, by the adjustable arrangement of the plate 28, is adapted to coincide with a portion of the frame 2 adjacent to the place of attachment for the stem 5 of the guide member 4. 7

At this portion the frame has secured thereto a cam plate 36, which is adapted to be engaged by a rocking, nail-holding element 37 pivotally secured within the conveyer niember 24 and near to the free end of the nail conveyer, the end of the member 24 for this purpose being bifur ated and preferably also being recessed, so that a spring 38 may he secured by a screw 39 within the member in order to normally hold the element in a position for allowing nails to pass to the freeend of the nail conveyer. The endof the screw 39 may extend-outside of the member sothat so as to extend transversely of the i yeyer at its free end, as shown in Figures 2 it abuts a recessed portion 40 on the rocking element for limiting the rocking movement of the element to this position, as shown in Figure 2.

A spring 41 is secured to the conveyer member 23 at short distance from the free end of the nail conveyor. This spring is bent and 3, so that, when a nail has passed through the nail conveyor to its free end, the spring yieldingly retains the nail thQTil), and the rocking element 37, may be provided with a somewhat- V-shaped or cut-out portion 42gand it is otherwise so shaped that by a suliicient rocking movement against the tension of theation of the nail setter 1 it is necessary that the frame-and the nail conveyer be in a yield mg relat on to each other in order to allow the rocking element 37 to be moved over the cam plate 36 on the frame. A convenient way of accomplishing this purpose is to cause the operating rod 12 to fit loosely in the op enirgs 11 and the plates 9 and 10. as shown in 2. The weight of'the nail receptacle 18 and the nail conveyer together with the weight of their attached parts, is then suincient to hold the nail conveyor in the proper yielding relation to the frame 2 when the handle 3 thereof is in an upright or nearly upright position, which is the position 'mostly as sumed during the operation of the nail setter.

4 An adjusting screw 50 may be'provided in the member 6 for hearing with outer end upon the SUPPOICEDQ plate 28. This screw is e Y ad usted so as to cause the rocking element 5'? to enga the cam plate 36 with the required amount of pressure. However, the rod 12 may have a snugshding ht in the opening 11, and the frame 2 or the nail conveyer 22, or

both. may be suiiiciently springy to allow an;

clement 37 both a rocking and a sliding movement ovcr the cam plate 36.

The portion of the meringelement 37 that contacts the cam plate 36 is preferably V shaped as; shown at 43. By this construction.

the rocking element is forced to slide upon the cam plate when the nail receptacle and the nail conveyor are pushed from their normal positions, in which they are held by the spring on the operating rod 12, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but is prevented from rocking by the engagement of the recessed portion 40 with the end of the screw Again, as soon as the spring 15 is allowed tomove the oper- 1l conating rod 12 and therewith also the nailconveyer' and the nail receptacle back toward their normal positions, the frictional engagcmentof the portion. 43 of the rocking element causes the rockingelement to swing against thetension of the spring 38 to the nail-holdposition shown in Figure 3, and the rocking elenient retains this nail-holding position so long as the operating rod '12, the nail re ceptacle and the nail conveyer are not again 'movcd in the direction away from their nor nial positionsor to their normal positions, when the rocking element allowed to slip out of engagement with the cam plate 36 and nail-elcaring position, as shown to assume its in F1gure 2,

Preferably at the beginning of the curved portion of the nail conveyer the-,conveyei member 24 has secured thereto bracl zet 44,'

which extends toward the bar 8 and has oscillatively securedthereupon a member 45 provided with an arm 46, which is adapted to be engaged by tripper bars 47 adjustably secured upon the bar 8. Upon the oscillative member 45 and on each side of the pivot therefor is pivotally attached a block 48, and each block 48 has secured thereto one end of I a: bar 49. These bars 49 extend alongside of eachother and transversely of the nail conveye-i' QQ'and are adaptedby the oscillatlve movement of the member 45 to slide alt-ernately across the spacebetween the conveyer members 23 and 24, so that, when the nail conveyer is in its normal position as shown in Figure 2, a row of nails 35' is retained in the conveyer by one bar, and, when the nail conveyer is moved from, its normal position to the position shown in Figure 3, this bar is retracted and thereby releases the nail nearest thereto so as to allow the nail to move by gravity toward the tree end of the conveyer while the other bar retains the other nails in the conveyor. Into the bracket 44 r is threaded a screw 51, which has: a taper end adapted to extend between the bars 49 and the conveyermeniber 24 has-therein a cut-out portion 52, in which extends a spring, 53 suitably secured to the bracket 44 and provided with arms terminating in portions that hook over the respective bars 49. This spring is tensioned so as to draw the bars normally toward each'otl'ierL; The screw 51, acting against the tension of thespring 53, thus serves as a means for adjust-ably separating therbars 49 in correspondence with the thiele ness of'the nails that pass throughthe nail conveyer. I j V i In some instances it may be desirableto provide the nail receptacle with a cover 54, and the cover may be secured to the nail receptacle in any ap'provedmanner. For example, 1t may have turned-over end portions 55 so as to adapt it to he sprung o /er the end alls 21 of'the receptacle portion 1- Before beginning the operation of the nail setter 1 the operator adjusts the nail receptacle and the nail conveyor for the required thickness of nails and places a. quantity of the nails 35 in the nail receptacle. On account of the convergent side walls of the receptacle the nails will be disposed to form a single row at the bottom of the receptacle and between the members 23 and 24: of the nail conveyer, the heads of the nails: preventl0,"

ing the nails from falling through the con veyer. By means of the handle 3 the ope "rtor then places the nail setter in its desired position on an object and with his thumb depresses the plate or button 16, thereby moving the operating rod 12 forward and therewith also the nail receptacle and the nail conveyer. This motion causes the arm d6 of the oscillative member 45 to contact the forward tripper bar l? and to be moved thereby, thus retracting the forward bar 49 and allowing the nail 35 nearest thereto to pass to the free end of the nail conveyer, where it is retained by the spring ll. The rocking element 37 is thereafter operated so as to catch the nail and to hold it in the nail. conveyer while the nail is set, as hereinbefore explained.

For some nail setting work the use of the guide member 4: is not required, and in such cases it may be removed from the frame 2. However, it may expedite the nail setting to use the guide member, for instance, in connection with work on shoe soles, as indicated in Figure 2, and on other objects or whensoever it is convenient to guide the nail setter along the edge or an object for setting; nails at predetermined spots thereon.

Although in the foregoing I have described one embodiment of my invention, it is evident that the principle thereof can be embodied in other forms. I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications and changes as are in accordance with the spirit of the invention and come within the scope of the ap pended claims.

I claim:

1. In a nail setter adapted for setting nails at predetermined spots, a frame; a receptacle slidably mounted on the frame and adapted to receive nails therein conveying means connccted with the receptacle for leading the nails therefrom; and means adapted to engage the frame and to be actuated thereby wh-n the receptacle is slidably moved for relea ably holding a nailv in the conveying means while the nail is set. V I 2. In a nail setter adapted for setting nails at predetermined spots, a frame; a receptacle slidahly'mounted on the frame and adapted to receive nails therein; a nail conveyer connected with the receptacle for leading the nails therefrom; means for allowing the passage of only one nail at a time through the nail conveyer to the free end thereof; means at the free end of the nail conveyer for yieldingly retaining the nail passed through the conveyor; and means adapted to engage the frame and to be actuater hereby when the receptacle is slidably moved for releasably holdin the nail at the free end of the nail conveyer while the nail is set.

3. In a nail setter adapted for setting nails at predetermined spots, a frame; a nail conveyer conuorising a pair of members slidably connected withthe frame and adapted to be spaced from each other so as to hold a row of nails between them; means for spacing the conveyor members from each other so as to accommodate nails of different thickness in the conveyer; a nail receptacle comprising wall portions connected with the respective conveyor members so as to be adjustable therewith and adaptedto form a longitudinal opening at the bottom of the receptacle in registration with the space beween the conveyer members in order to accommodate the heads of the nails in the row between the conveyer members; means at the free end of the nail conveyer for yieldingly retaining the nails passed through the conveyer and means adapted to engage the frame and to be actuated thereby when the nail conveyer is slidably moved for releasably holding; a nail at the free end thereof while the nail is set.

l. In a nail setter adapted for setting nails at ln'edetermined spots, a frame; a nail conveyer comprising a pair of members slidably connected with the frame and adapted to be spaced from each other so as to hold a row of nails between them; means for spacing the conveyer members from each other so as to accommodate nails of different thickness in the conveyer; a nail receptacle comprising wall portions connected with the respective conveyor members so as to be adjustable therewith and adapted to form a longitudinal opening at the bottom of the receptacle in registration with the spacebetween the conveyor members in order to accommodate the heads of the nails in the row between the conveyer members, the nail receptacle and the nail conveyer being adapted to be held in an inclined. position so that the nails may be moved by gravity toward the free end of the conveyer; a member oscillatively mounted on the conveyor; bars pivotally connected with the oscillati've member and slid ably mounted alongside of each other so as'to e.;- tend transversely of the conveyer. tile bars being adapted to slide alternately across the space between the conveyer members, so that, when the nail conveyor is in its normal position, the nails are retained in the convcver by one l ir, and, when the nail conveyor is moved'from its normal position, this bar is ret acted. and thereby releases the nail nearmove toward while the econ d bar retains the other nails in the con. means secured to the frame for operating the oscillative member when the thereto so as to allow the nail to the free end of the conveyer nail conveyer is slidably moved; means at the free end of the nail conveyer for yieldingly retaining the nail passed through the conveyer means adapted to engage the frame and to be actuated when the nail conveyer is slidablv moved for releasably holding the nail at the free end thereof while the nail is set; and means for automatically returning the nail conveyer to its normal position.

5. In a nail setter adapted for setting nails at predetermined spots, a frame; a nail coneyerlcomprising a pair of members slidably connected with the frame and adapted to be spacedfroin each other so as to hold a row rf nails between them;- means for spacing the conveyer members from each other soas to accommodate'nails of different 'tllltlii ass in the conveyer; a nail receptacle compri ing wall portions connected with the respective conveyer members so as to be ad- "ustable therewith and ada )ted to form a longitudinal opening at the bottom of the receptacle in registration with the space between the conveyer members in order to accommodate the heads of the nails in the row between the coi'ive'yer.members, the nail receptacle and the nail conveyer being adapted to be held in an inclined position sothat the nails may be moved by gravity toward the free end of the conveyer; a member oscillativel y mountedon the conveyer; bars pivotally connected with the oscillative member and slidably mounted alongside of each ther so as to extend transversely of the con- \"eyer, the bars being adapted to slide alternately across the space between the conveyer members, so that, when the nail conveyer is in its normal position, the nails are retained in the conveyer by one bar, and, when. the nail conveyer is moved from its normal positfon. this bar is retracted and thereby releas s the nail nearest thereto so as to al low the nail to move toward the free end of the conveyer while the second bar retains the other nails in the conveyer; means seon d to the frame for operating the oscil lative member when the nail conveyer is slidably moved; means for adjustably separat the bars in correspondence with the thick-- ness of the nails that pass through the nail conveyer; means at the free end of the nail conveyer for yieldingly retaining the nail passed through the conveyer; means adapted to engage the frame andto be actuated when the nail conveyor is slidably moved for re- ,ieasably holding the nail at the free end thereof while the nail is set; and means for -automaticallyreturning the nail conveyer tion 'to each other;

' ceptacle free end of the nail conveyer for yieldingly retaining the nails passed through theconveyer; and a rocking element pivotally secured "to the nail 'conveyer'and adapted to engage the frame and to be actuated thereby when the receptacle is 'slidably' movedfor releasablyholdingfa nail at the "free end of the nail conveyer while the nail is set.

7. In a nail setter adapted for setting nails at predetermined spots, a frame; a receptacle slidably mounted on t-he frame and adapted to receive nails therein; a nail conveyer connected with the receptacle for leading-the nails therefrom, the frame and the nail conveyer being in a yielding relaa cam portion on-the flaIlIB OPPOSltGtO the freeend of the nail conveyer; means at the free end of the nail conveyerfor yieldingly retaining the nails passed through the conveyer; a rocking element. pivotally secured to the nail conveyer and adapted to engage the cam por ion on the frame, the element being adapted to allow nails to pass to the free end of the nail conve er when thereceptacle is slid in the direction toward the cam portion, and to hold a nail at the free end of the nail conveyer in a position for setting, when the element engages the cam portion and the reis slid in the opposite direction or is held stationary relative to the frame after the element has been rocked to its nail-holding position; and means for normally urging the rocking element away from its nail-holding position. r

8. In a nail setter adapted for setting nails at predetermined spots, a frame; a receptacle slidably mounted on the frame and adapted to receive nails therein; a nail conveyer connected with the receptacle for leading the nails therefrom, the frame and the nail conveyer being in a yielding relation to each other; a cam portion on the frame opposite to the free end of the nail conveyer; means at the free end of the nail conveyer posite direction. or is held stationary relative to the frame ter, the element has been rocked to its nail-holding position; means for nor mally urging the rocking element away from its nai1-holding position; a'nd'means for automatically sliding the receptacle away from said cam portion so as to cause the element to be rocked-towards its nail-holding position. i

for yieldingly retaining the nails passed through the free Ion

llu

' 12H portion and the receptacle is slid in the opa nail setter, a frame; a receptacle slldablylmounted on the frame and adapted an object so that the nail'setter may be moved along the edge for setting nails at predetermined spots on theoloject; and means adapted to engage the frame and to be ac-- tnated thereby when the receptacle is slid for releasa-blyholding a nail in the conveying means While the nail is set on the object.

, 10. In a nail setteiga frame formed With a handle whereby the nail setter, is adapted to he moved manually for setting nails at predetermined spots on an object; a receptacle and a djns tahly 'inoiin ted on the frame and adapted to receii e nails tlier'ei'n;

conveying means connected with the r'e'ceptacle for leading the nails therefrom; and

means adapted to "engage the'iframe and to be actuated thereby when the receptacle slid for releasably holding an ail in the conveying means while the nail is v set.

I In a device of the type described a receptacle for receiving loose nails, means carried by said receptacle for arranging the agitating said receptacle.

EDWARD F. MALOUF. 

